Dr. Taghrid A. Altoos graduated with honors from the University of Colorado School of Medicine.  She graduated in the top of her class and earned the honor of being a member in the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) medical honor society.  Prior to medical school she received degrees from the University of Denver in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with the highest honors, Summa Cum Laude.  She completed her residency in Radiation Oncology at Loyola University Medical Center in Illinois, where she served as chief resident.  She was involved in oncological research and has publications on head and neck, breast, lung, gastrointestinal and prostate cancers.  She is board certified by the American Board of Radiology.

Dr. Michael D. Gauwitz graduated from the University of Chicago School of Medicine.  He completed a residency in Radiation Oncology at the world-renowned M.D Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.  As a resident, he published several peer-reviewed articles on the management of prostate cancer and treatment of lung cancer.  He is a member of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, The American College of Radiology, and the American Medical Association.

Dr. Eric Brooks trained at the world renowned MD Anderson Cancer Center and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center after earning his medical degree at Yale University. Before that, he graduated valedictorian from Cornell University. Dr. Brooks is passionate about providing the best care for his patients and their families. He has been formally recognized twice for excellence and compassion in patient care. In addition to his primary focus of commitment to his patients, Dr. Brooks has also published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles, including in the Nature, JAMA, Lancet, and JCO family journals. He is a frequent speaker at conferences, including at the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and he has written society-endorsed guidelines on how to treat patients when their tumors reoccur. His work is cited by numerous societies, including the authoritative National Cancer Center Network (NCCN) guidelines. Dr. Brooks is board certified by the American Board of Radiology and is grateful to serve the Clearwater and Southwest Florida community.

The physicians and staff at Premier Radiation Oncology Associates understand the emotional and financial stress caused by a diagnosis of cancer.  From the minute you enter our office, you will encounter our caring and compassionate front office staff.

We have patient account representatives that will assist you in completing your health insurance claims. We accept Medicare assignment and as a courtesy will file your secondary insurance claims. We are contracted with most Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO), Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO), Point of Service (POS) plans, and Medicare replacement plans. For those patients requiring financial assistance, we will direct you to the appropriate county, state, or federal agency that can provide assistance. For patients with an outstanding balance, we will make flexible financial arrangements to accommodate your budget. Should you have any questions, our patient account representatives are available for consultation.

(Front Office Staff on Left – Financial Office Staff on Right)

At Premier Radiation Oncology Associates, all of our nurses have extensive experience in the care of patients with cancer. They are a valuable source of information and assistance to patients and their families dealing with the challenges of a cancer diagnosis. They will help coordinate the care and support you need from your treatment team. Prior to initiating radiation therapy, they will provide counseling on the expected side effects of treatment and modification to diet and activity that may reduce the severity of the side effects and improve the tolerability of your treatment. During your radiation treatment course, they will perform weekly assessments to identify side effects early and suggest interventions to reduce the severity of the side effects to ensure that you complete your prescribed course of radiation without delay. They will be your advocates to ensure you have access to resources for financial or emotional support, practical needs such as transportation, special equipment and supplies, or referrals for specialty care.

Our radiation therapists at Premier Radiation Oncology are responsible for ensuring the accurate and precise delivery of your treatment as planned by your doctor. They are certified by the state of Florida and have undergone extensive training in radiation planning and delivery. You will be working with our therapists on a daily basis during your radiation treatments.

(Therapy Staff on Left – Nursing Staff on Right)

A key component of your radiation treatments is the physics team, which is composed of medical dosimetrists and medical physicists. Medical dosimetrists, together with your physician, design the radiation plan and calculate the proper dose of radiation required to meet the objectives of your treatment plan. They are also certified by the state of Florida. The medical physicist is responsible for quality assurance of all radiation treatment plans.

(Dosimetrists)